BBC Radio 4 has just released its first Jewish comedy series. 

Jack and Millie, which piloted last year, has now been commissioned as a full series written by and starring Jeremy Front, and his sister Rebecca Front. The first episode went out on Wednesday morning.

The six part series stars the Front siblings as Jack and Millie Lemman, an older couple who are fully engaged with contemporary life while being at war with the absurdities of the modern world.

Mr Front told the JC: “I was very keen to write a comedy which would appeal to the biggest, broadest audience we could attract.

“However, I didn’t want to shy away from the fact that these characters, their family and friends were Jews.  I also wanted to play against stereotypes both of Jews and older people."

The cast also features Tracey Ann Oberman, Nigel Lindsay, Jenny Bede and Harry Peacock. The series is produced by David Tyler for Pozzitive Television.

“I originally discussed the idea of writing and playing an extremely active ‘older’ Jewish couple with Rebecca. She loved the idea and we agreed I should take it to the brilliant producer/director, David Tyler at Pozzitive Television.

“ David and Geoff Posner have a great track record of making brilliant comedies, but as they are also Jews we had a feeling Dave would be simpatico.  He was.  In fact his enthusiasm was unbounded” he said.

The first episode, Death and the Maven, centres around the funeral of “Film Club Leo” who, we find out, died whilst having a fling (“playing hunt the afikomen”) with his Pilates teacher. The funeral is catered by the comically-named ‘Aubrey Hepburn’, owner of Deli-Licious, who is the caterer of the moment, but a horrible man.

“Food plays a huge part in the series- and indeed, I’ve realised, throughout the series”, Mr Front said.

A clip from the first episode is available here.

In the next episode we will meet Jack and Millie’s tense, neurotic son, Melvin and his demanding, high maintenance, yet rather sweet French wife, Delphine.

They have three children we never actually meet who are all ‘famischt’ in one way or another and who cast a vivid shadow over events.

Mr Front adds: “These characters are out in the world. They are part of British society and fully engaged with the 21st century”.

The first edisode of Jack and Millie is available on the BBC iplayer . The second episode will air next Wednesday.